The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-02
Garfieds death and funeral and that his family
had nothing to do with il. / never got anything
from the government H. L. WHITE
FAMOUS WOMEN.
Gail Hamiiton-Her Abilities Controyer-
sialist and Story Teller.

Gail Hamilton-Her Abilities as Controver-
sialist and Story Teller.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
New YORK Jan. 1-Gail Hamilton's emere-
ence into the field of metropolitan journalism
after long heeira to the provinces recalls SOME
curious memories of this gifted controversialist'a
past. When she took her now famous nom de
plume it was with the idea that her sex and her
identity as woman and plain Abigail Dodge. d
Hamilton. Mass, would be impenetrably
masked for all time. She scorned all feminine
weaknesses, and wished 70 pass in her writings
for man.
Her intimate friends among women frequently
suffered from her unbending preiudces. Once.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps who lives in Andover.
in Calls own State, was cordially invited 10
make this redoubiable woman visit. Tha
famed spinster of Gates Aiarn celebrity had
for her alter ego at that lime faithful setter
dog to whom she was devoted. Il will como "a
Hamilton next week with my dog Ralph wrots
Miss Phelps.
You will come, without any nonsense and
by yourself" wrote back the objective. Gail.
Miss Phelps stayed away with her dog, and
Hamilton has never known her since. But Gail
with all her silk-stocking mightiness, had her
soft spots; and about this tine she had what
may be called psychological aflinitypfor a young
Bostonian something like twenty years her
Junior This young gentleman known in
Boston as a somewhat precocious ltterateur, and
posed in his day rs the Archibald Grosvenor Of
the time with his aesthetic ''fads,' his pat verses
to order and his twenty madens Gail had
never seen anything like this before. and Gres-
venor was made very welcome at the old house
at Hamilton to the dismay and modification Of
Calls good neighbors. 1t was about this time,
too, that Gail had her famous quarrel with
James L. Fields. Sine claimed that he and o.
good had tricked her out of her just dues in
| copyrights, and she got righteous iudg-
ment from referees at the time. 90.
| when Grosvenor was entnroned, she actually
| turned the portrait of the author publisher,
| Fields, face to the wall and hung IN the new god
| in conspicuous place. The twain had such
| tete-a-tetes and sympoaia as staid Hamilton had
| never seen before and once when the gallant
| cavalier stayed too late, and fell down fight
| of steps in the darkness, hurrying for the lase
| train there was a scene at the old homestead
| that has never yet been and never will be re-
corded in any of. Calls published annals.
No one who estimates Gail Hamilton from her
books can form any adequate idea Of her EXTRA
ordinary charms as 4 converSationalist aud
| raeon.eur.
| Washington, Ierhaps. knows something of her
| surprising social gifts. but, save n the sacred
| shrine of her own fireside they have never been
disclosed in full spendor.
Gail Hamilton is cousin of Mrs. James G.
| Blaine. Those who have met the latter will re-
| call the marked contrast that exists between
| these two women, of late years so nearly assc-
/ cated. 1t would be difficult to picture moro
| unamiIble woman than Mrs. Blaine can be when
| the mood takes her. No Xantppe could by any
possibility rival, in absolute demonstration, the
| incarnate perversty which this characteristics
woman suggests without word when IN one Of
| these silent and portertous moods, which those
| who know her well have often met TO their
| sorrow GULpEPrER. q